Foot pain, bunions, stiff Achilles tendons/heel cords, and plantar fasciitis have long been problems suffered by many, especially women and most especially women who wear high heels. Inherent in high heels is the problem of tight heel cords due to the heel being elevated above the forefoot thus placing the heel cords in a shortened position. Also problematic in this type of footwear is the forward force placed on the foot, from heel to toes, thereby increasing the pressure on the forefoot and the metatarsal heads while forcing the metatarsal-phalangeal joints into an unnaturally increased dorsiflexed and adducted position. Additionally, many high heeled shoes are designed with an ever narrowing toe box which often tapers to a point thus diminishing any normal physiological space between the toes and causing the great toe to deviate laterally. With frequent use of this type of footwear come the aforementioned problems. These problems can also be caused by a number of other factors not limited to a pronated foot, genetics, lifestyle, and activity type and level.
There are many products available to effect a separation between the toes (inserts, braces, and other accessories,) however none of these products incorporates these features contiguously into a footwear for daily wear. Use of any of aforementioned accessories can be labor intensive in applying the device to the toes, foot, or shoe. They may be uncomfortable or impossible to fit into a specific type of shoe as well as unattractive as evidenced by the bunion brace being visible when worn with several shoe styles. Treatments also exist to address pain associated with the above conditions including physical therapy, medication via injection or by mouth, and cryotherapy. Surgery has also been employed to correct the misalignment of the great toe. The present disclosure addresses the root cause of bunion pain, relieving pain without the complications and side effects of surgical intervention.
One embodiment of the present disclosure includes a therapeutic footwear for supporting a wearer's foot having a heel portion, an arch portion, and a plurality of toes including a great toe, the footwear including a horizontally extending base having first and second spaced apart ends, the first end adapted to support the heel portion of the wearer's foot, the second end adapted to support the plurality of toes, and an adjustable strap including an adjustment mechanism and first and second portions, the first portion coupled to the second end of the base and adapted to secure the great toe, the second portion adapted to secure the adjustable strap to the base, the adjustment mechanism adapted to pull the great toe away from the other toes of the plurality of toes.
Another embodiment of the present disclosure includes a therapeutic footwear for supporting a wearer's foot having a heel portion, an arch portion, and a plurality of toes including a great toe, the footwear including a horizontally extending base having first and second spaced apart ends, a passage, a recessed area, and a slot, the first end adapted to support the heel portion of the wearer's foot, the second end adapted to support the plurality of toes, the passage extending laterally through the base, the recessed area positioned on the second end of the base, the slot including a first opening on an upper side of the base and second opening on lateral side of the base, an adjustable strap including an adjustment mechanism and first and second portions, the first portion coupled to the recessed area of the second end of the base and adapted to secure the great toe, the second portion extending through the slot to secure the adjustable strap to the base, the adjustment mechanism adapted to pull the great toe away from the other toes of the plurality of toes, and a second strap coupled to the second portion of the adjustable strap and the second portion of the base, the second strap including a plurality of leaders on a first end and an adjustable portion on a second end, the second end extending around the adjustable strap to secure the second strap around the heel portion, the plurality of leaders coupled to the second portion of the base.
Yet another embodiment of the present disclosure includes a footwear insert for providing therapeutic support to a wearer's toes inside the wearer's conventional shoe, the footwear insert including a horizontally extending base having a heel end and a toe end, the base extending horizontally within the conventional shoe, and a band coupled to the toe end of the base, the band adapted to apply a laterally inward pressure to a great toe of the wearer's toes.
A further embodiment of the present disclosure includes a therapeutic footwear for supporting a wearer's foot having a heel portion and plurality of toes including a great toe, the footwear including a horizontally extending base having first and second spaced apart ends, the first end adapted to support the heel portion of the wearer's foot, the second end adapted to support the plurality of toes, an ankle support strap adapted to secure the footwear to the wearer's foot, a first adjustable strap adapted to apply a medial force on the great toe, the first adjustable strap including an adjustment mechanism and first and second portions, the first portion coupled to the second end of the base, the second portion adapted to secure the adjustable strap to the base, the adjustment mechanism adapted to vary the medial force applied to the great toe, and a second adjustable strap adapted to apply a lateral force to a great toe joint, the second adjustable strap including an adjustment mechanism and first and second ends, the first end coupled to the second end of the base, the second end adapted to secure the second adjustable strap to the base, and the adjustment mechanism adapted to vary the lateral force applied to the great toe joint.
Another embodiment of a therapeutic footwear includes a therapeutic footwear for supporting a wearer's foot having a heel portion, an arch portion, and a plurality of toes including a great toe and a great toe joint, the footwear including a horizontally extending base having first and second spaced apart ends, a first and second passage, a first and second recessed area, and a first and second slot, the first end adapted to support the heel portion of the wearer's foot, the second end adapted to support the plurality of toes, the first passage extending diagonally through the base, the second passage extending laterally through the base, the first slot including a first opening on an upper side of the base and a second opening on lateral side of the base, the second slot including a third opening on the upper side of the base and a fourth opening on a medial side of the base, a first adjustable strap including a first adjustment mechanism and first and second portions, the first portion coupled to the first recessed area of the second end of the base and adapted to secure the great toe, the second portion extending through the first portion and the first slot to secure the first adjustable strap to the base, the first adjustment mechanism adapted to apply a medial force on the great toe, and a second adjustable strap including a second adjustment mechanism, and first and second portions, the first portion coupled to the second recessed area of the second end of the base and adapted to support the great toe joint, the second portion extending through the second passage and second slot to secure the second adjustable strap to the base, the second adjustable mechanism adapted to apply a lateral force on the great toe joint.